This invention relates to the dispensing of gasoline into the gasoline tanks of automobiles, and more particularly to an adapter (insert) useful for the dispensing of gasoline into automobile gasoline tanks while simultaneously recovering vapors therefrom by means of direct displacement.
Several so-called "vapor-tight-fill" devices have been developed, for making a seal between an automobile gasoline tank fillpipe and a gasoline dispensing nozzle. One such device is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,928.
The device of my prior patent (which may be termed a "vapor recovery boot") and others that make a face seal against the fillpipe, do not always make a tight seal, because of the steep angle formed between the nozzle spout and the fillpipe. This steep angle comes about because the nozzle is retained in the fillpipe by rocking, which is to say that it rests on the bottom of the fillpipe and has a reaction point at the top of the pipe. With the I.D. of the fillpipe being typically 21/4 inches and the spout I.D. being 15/16 inches (standard diameter), the angle between the nozzle spout and the fillpipe can be quite sharp. When such an angle comes into play, the sealing surface of the vapor recovery boot (which is intended to make a flat face seal against the outer end of the fillpipe is pushed down, thus breaking the seal at the lower edge of the boot.
It will be appreciated that, if a tight seal between the fillpipe and the dispensing nozzle is not made, the vapors cannot be recovered effectively, so that the purposes of the vapor recovery (to wit, the prevention of air pollution and the limination of the fire hazard) will be defeated.
An object of this invention is to provide a device, for automobile gasoline tank fillpipes, which cooperates with the spout of a dispensing nozzle to ensure that a tight seal will always be made between the nozzle and the fillpipe.
Another object is to provide an adapter, for gasoline tank fillpipes, which cooperates in a novel manner with a gasoline dispensing nozzle.
A further object is to provide a device for gasoline tank fillpipes which cooperates with a gasoline dispensing nozzle and the fillpipe, but also to prevent the nozzle from operating until the nozzle spout is fully and properly inserted into the fillpipe.
A still further object is to provide a device for gasoline tank fillpipes which cooperates with a gasoline dispensing nozzle to maintain the nozzle spout in an optimum position relative to the fillpipe, when the nozzle is inserted into the fillpipe.